Seagate Technology Incorporated

Karl Scheppers

Declan Macken

Michael Thomas Johnson

James Dillon Kiely

Gregory I Rudd

Kah-Hoe Tan

An apparatus is arranged to detect contact between an air bearing surface of a transducer and a medium using a modulated thermal sensor signal. A laser source produces modulated laser light. A thermal sensor is disposed at or near the air bearing surface and is subject to cyclic heating by the modulated laser light. The thermal sensor is configured to produce the modulated sensor signal in response to the cyclic heating.

Contact detection using laser modulation

An apparatus and associated method employing a slider having a leading edge opposing a trailing edge. A fluid bearing surface extends between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The fluid bearing surface contactingly engages a fluid stream operably imparted to the fluid bearing surface by a moving member adjacent thereto. A trailing edge pad extends from the fluid bearing surface adjacent the trailing edge. A capillary lubrication trench (CLT) is disposed entirely between a portion of the trailing edge pad and the trailing edge along a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Preventing oil migration to slider fluid bearing surface

A contaminant reduction system comprises an assembly of appropriate size and shape for mounting within a sealed or semi-sealed hard disk drive (HDD). The system comprises a photocatalytic surface mounted in close proximity or in contact with a light source which may be utilized as a means for activation. The photocatalytic surface is preferably titanium dioxide (TiO ); it may be other metal oxide catalyss that can be photochemically activated such as zinc oxide (ZnO). The activation is achieved utilizing a lamp which illuminates the photocatalyst and has an output below 100 nm.

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Edina, MN, United States of America

Karl Scheppers